Esther J. Windmueller, Founder and Board Member

Esther is an Ovarian Cancer warrior with a smile. She battles the disease like she used to battle in the courtroom as a trial lawyer. Diagnosed in October 2009, she underwent big surgery and then chemo for six months. Four months later, in August 2010, she recurred. She has gone through multiple round of treatment and keeps enjoying each day as it comes (some more than others!)

When she is not dancing on beaches, she enjoys working out, cooking, reading, traveling and spending time with her family and friends.

Christi O’Leary, President

Certified yoga instructor Christi O’Leary is an enthusiastic CancerDancer supporter after losing her dad to lung cancer three years ago. Her mom is a breast cancer survivor. Christi is also an accomplished bellydancer and was the featured dancer for CancerDancer at the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance Conference in 2011. She also loves sailing; collecting, repairing and riding old motorcycles; and keeping abreast of exercise and health-related topics. Christi is an industrial analytical chemist at DuPont.Christi@ocancerdancer.org

Kathleen Clement Carter Ryder, Board Member

Kathleen’s community field work in the US and the developing world has convinced her that healthy women are the key to thriving families and strong, supportive societies. Kathleen has over a decade of professional experience in non-profits. She’s served in development for large international child welfare non-profits and local family care and history non-profits. She’s raised millions and generated national and local press. Kathleen’s Los Angeles legal practice included health care, anti-trust and land use litigation. Kathleen works as a full-time mom to her middle schooler and her fourth-grade twins. She’s a part-time care-giver for her 86 year-old mother-in-law.

When she’s not grooving in the driver seat of a mini-van, Kathleen loves dancing to the beat of her family band (“Just Us Goofballs”), volunteering in public schools, visiting museums and tossing pizza dough.
Kathleen@ocancerdancer.org

Kyle Nicholas, Founder & Board Member

Kyle lost his mother to ovarian cancer in September 2009. A week after her funeral, his partner, Esther, was diagnosed. An unexpected veteran of the ovarian cancer wars, Kyle has been ‘in the room’ through virtually every phase of the disease. His vision for CancerDancer is to celebrate the great lives of the women around us, while working toward awareness, prevention and a cure.

When he’s not dancing, Kyle is a communications scholar, writer and teacher at a Virginia university.kyle@ocancerdancer.org

Kevin Cale, Board Member

Kevin became passionate about educating men about the symptoms of ovarian cancer after watching his wife battle the disease for two years before succumbing. After meeting Esther, Kylie, Christi and several other members of CancerDancer I decided that this was an organization that I wanted to join to get the word out. So after 20 years of wearing Army green, he am now wearing teal. Cause we all know, REAL men look good in teal. Three things in his refrigerator: Cat food (for Abby the cat, not Kevin), TV dinners/pot pies for lunch at work, and hot dogs and hamburgers (nothing better then a dog or burger off the grill).

He is a big sports fan. Growing up outside of Detroit he would go to Tigers, Lions, Red Wings and Piston games. His daughters got him hooked on gymnastics, soccer and field hockey. Also a big fan of sailing and lacrosse and, when possible, I can I enjoy underwater basket weaving, time travel, American history, stamp collecting and genealogy.

Jack Daniel, MD, Board Member

Jack got involved with CancerDancer after he earned that people I cared about were dealing with the viciously sneaky thing that is ovarian cancer, both among friends and within his family. He says that he is not in the military anymore, but whenever he's around these folks he feels the impulse to come to attention and salute survivors and the remarkable people who support them through all the difficult hours, days, nights, weeks, months and years. He is grateful for the chance to be involved with the dedicated and energetic individuals who make up CancerDancer, and it was a nice kind of discovery for me to find that I enjoy making little items of teal jewelry that might add a tiny bit of color to somebody’s maybe-worse-than-gray day.

If he could have a superpower, he would like to be able to snap my fingers and let one person in a dispute see life clearly from the other person’s perspective. I enjoy cringing at bizarre happenings on “Game of Thrones”, as well as paddling on the James above Richmond - where I’m pretty sure sharks can’t go. Three things always in my refrigerator include mustard, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish – and, yes, ok, from time to time you might come across a somewhat questionable bottle of milk as well.“I’m glad for the chance to know and celebrate ovarian cancer survivors, who include some of the most spirited, lively, lovely, and delightful people around. UP with CancerDancer!”